Research on the Quaternary fluvial geomorphological surface sequence of the foreland region in southern Longmen Shan, eastern Tibet

Abstract

Research on the complex structure of the Longmen Shan foreland is of great significance for understanding the tectonism of the eastern Tibetan Plateau. Therefore, using field survey of abandoned alluvial fans that developed during the middle Pleistocene and the terraces of the modern Qingyi River, a geomorphological surface sequence for the foreland region was established to study the tectonic surface processes. We know that the deformations of river terraces can serve as foundations for the study of tectonic activity. Because the Qingyi River ran through the foreland region in the south range of Longmen Shan, it is an appropriate research area and was adopted to solve these problems. However, in the humid temperate region, the terraces are strongly eroded and hardly retain continuous morphological surfaces. In addition, no marker horizons are available that can be utilized to restrain the corresponding relationships among terraces at the same level. To solve these problems, high-precision field measurements of the terraces and alluvial fan were made, and a series of long cross sections were acquired to determine the spatial relationships between the geomorphological surfaces; moreover, based on major element tests and grain size analyses, we found that the sediments of the geomorphological surfaces at all levels had favorable corresponding relationships. Using those specific analyses of geomorphological surfaces and sediments, a geomorphological surface sequence was derived for the foreland region. The surface sequence can be employed to study the tectonism of the foreland region over larger spatial and temporal ranges rather than using the limited modern terraces. In addition, after the ages of the geomorphological surfaces at various levels were further tested, the evolution of Qingyi River especially its two migrations since the middle Pleistocene in the foreland was determined.